Mystery car pix

andys120

LA street scene>

stickguy

Volvo 244 coming toward. About to pass a 75ish Granada.

So few imports. Not like today

And that red roadster is bugging me.

fintail

Roadster looks like a Jaguar XKSS. Car in front of it is a Dart/Swinger, 75-79 Seville in front of that. Approaching at far left looks like maybe a 1970 Mustang. Newest cars in the pic appear to be from the 1977-78 timeframe.

texases

@fintail said:
Roadster looks like a Jaguar XKSS. Car in front of it is a Dart/Swinger, 75-79 Seville in front of that. Approaching at far left looks like maybe a 1970 Mustang. Newest cars in the pic appear to be from the 1977-78 timeframe.

Boy, that XKSS is a rare one, 16 total built. Wonder if it's a replica? Did they make replicas in the '70s?

bhill2

@fintail said:
Roadster looks like a Jaguar XKSS.

Did anyone else note that the license is "1"? Someone with pull is driving that one.

stever

Missed that, just thought someone had Photoshopped the tag number out.

andys120

There's a lively discussion going on about that photo in Hemming's Motor News . Some think it's Steve McQueen's Jaguar XK-SS but I doubt it is since photos linked to show a wire wheel equipped car but most had disc wheels because they were basically race cars (McQueen's car was originally red then repainted BRG.)

All XK-SS photos show RHD cars which leads one to think that's probably a replica of some sort. As for the license plate showing number "1", some think it might belong to the then (and now!) Governor (Jerry Brown) but there's something odd about the number being on the far right of the late. An XK-SS seems a little ostentatious for the ascetic Gov. Brown as well.

Also worthy of note is that out of a dozen or so cars in this 1978 photo there's no Datsuns, Toyotas or Volkswagens. Aside from the Jag it's a mix of cars you might have seen in Milwaukee back then, not California.

stickguy

didn't notice any of those pictures at Hemmings showing what appears to be a cheesey hood scoop. or is that an optical illusion?

fintail

I see the hood scoop too, I think it's really there. A quick google lists many XKSS replicas, I'd suspect due to rarity and LHD, this is a copy.

I think the license plate is altered, there's definitely something present to the left of the "1".

andys120

@stickguy said:
didn't notice any of those pictures at Hemmings showing what appears to be a cheesey hood scoop. or is that an optical illusion?

Hmm I hadn't picked up on that. The XK-SS had a streamlined hood bump like that seen on the later E-Type but the photos of the Hemmings car all show a much more pronounced bump/scoop. IMO it's another indication that the red car is indeed a replica, not that I'm aware of any replica XK-SS production. Perhaps if you're influential enough to acquire license plate #1 in California you have the resources for a one-ff replica.

bhill2

@bhill2 said:
Did anyone else note that the license is "1"? Someone with pull is driving that one.

Yes, I'm starting to rethink my statement. The "1" should be centered on the plate, unless you can specify spaces as characters.

andys120

Suburbia>

lostwrench1

1956 Victoria.

andys120

@lostwrench1 said:
1956 Victoria.

Yep, and a real beauty with a nice tu-tone scheme, WWs and skirts. IMO it's much nicer than the Crown Vic with the gaudy hoop; proving that often times "less is more."

andys120

stickguy

2nd generation Mazda RX-7 convertible (actually more of a hybrid convertible/semi-targa the way the top worked).

1990 or so?

kyfdx

I almost bought one in 1990. That one was a 1989, so that is my guess.

andys120

It's a 1988 Mazda RX-7 convertible . IIRC the 2nd gen was the only one with a convertible variant. I'd forgotten about the semi-Targa top.

qbrozen

And the ugliest rx7 ever, IMHO

andys120

This is a post war car (1953).

andys120

It doesn't look like anyone's got a clue what the black drop head coupe is so I'll just tell you it's a 1953 Alvis TA21 . Those post war Brits are tough, they tend to look alike and how many of us have ever even seen an Alvis of any kind?

andys120

stever

Wikipedia has a list of all cars that had flip up (or hidden) headlamps before they went away in 2004. But that would be cheating.

texases

No need to cheat on this 850i, except it might be an 840i. Some like it, I much prefer the 635i.

kyfdx

At the local Concours

stickguy

no clue what it is, but it is hideous.

bhill2

@stickguy said:
no clue what it is, but it is hideous.

I'll start this (and possibly stick my foot in my mouth). I think it's a 800 cc Toyota sport job. I don't remember the name.

kyfdx

You are correct... it's a Toyota from the '60s. Had my son take cell phone pics, while we were at the car show.... but, neglected to write down the details... DUH.

So, I've got more.... but, you'll have to tell me what they are!

grahampeters

@kyfdx@Edmunds said:
You are correct... it's a Toyota from the '60s. Had my son take cell phone pics, while we were at the car show.... but, neglected to write down the details... DUH.

So, I've got more.... but, you'll have to tell me what they are!

It is actually the fore-runner of the Toyota 2000. This one is a Toyota Sports 800 from about 1965. It was pretty odd for its time, sporting an air cooled 2 cylinder boxer engine. The basic car derived from the Toyota Publica, If you think the Sports 800 looks strange, try and find an image of the Publica Sports which was its prototype. Both do show the aero engineering background of their designer Hasegawa.

They also experimented with a gas turbine engine for a much later experimental vehicle.

Not a lot of them made it out of Japan.

Cheers

Graham

grahampeters

G'day

Now for something completely different

<http://www.toyota.co.jp/Museum/collections/list/data/common/images/0139_FujicabinModel5A.jpg>

Bother, I cannot remember how to post images on this forum!

Cheers

Graham

bhill2

@grahampeters said:
G'day

Now for something completely different

<http://www.toyota.co.jp/Museum/collections/list/data/common/images/0139_FujicabinModel5A.jpg>

Bother, I cannot remember how to post images on this forum!

Cheers

Graham

OK, enough of that. People are going to bed and trying to sleep over here.

stever

lol, sometimes that's a good thing! Yikes!

texases

Well, I'm going to take a WILD guess that it's a "Fuji Cabin Model 5A"...

imidazol97

@kyfdx@Edmunds said:

>

At the local Concours

I'll guess a Neon prototype, based on those headlights.

Actually, I'd like to see some of the pictures from Ault Park Concours. I've always wondered if I missed something in the types that I like to see.

Mr_Shiftright

Notice how people are pretending nobody owns that Toyota.

slorenzen

@stever said:
lol, sometimes that's a good thing! Yikes!

That's one of those MINION cars from "Despicable ME", isn't it?

kyfdx

@imidazol97 said:

I only have 5 or 6 pictures.. don't have a smartphone.. lol.

I'll get a couple more up. We weren't even planning on going, but got rained out for a track experience at KY Speedway, so did the show, instead.

andys120

Parking under the trees>

bhill2

@andys120 said:
Parking under the trees>

An embarrassment of riches. I will stick with the row that starts with the 1951 (I believe) Chevy. Behind it is a similar year Plymouth, and then a 1959 Olds flat-top.

berri

59 Ford and Plymouth (looks like it might be a ragtop) parked side by side.

explorerx4

A 1960 Chevy convertible on the left side of the picture. Maybe a 57 Plymouth under the tree and a 61/62 ford to the left of it.

andys120

@bhill2 said:
An embarrassment of riches. I will stick with the row that starts with the 1951 (I believe) >Chevy. Behind it is a similar year Plymouth, and then a 1959 Olds flat-top.

I think the white car behind the '51 Chevy is a '53 or '54 Plymouth It has a one -piece windshield and a crease in the front fender like this car>

bhill2

@explorerx4 said:
A 1960 Chevy convertible on the left side of the picture. Maybe a 57 Plymouth under the tree and a 61/62 ford to the left of it.

Good eye on the 60 Chevy! I decided after considerable study that it was a 60 and was proud of my skill. The Ford is a 62.

andys120

Watch out Rover!>

laurasdada

I so much want that...

fintail

Steve McQueen's 250GT Berlinetta Lusso, I think it was brown.

@andys120 said:
Watch out Rover!>

andys120

@fintail said:
Steve McQueen's 250GT Berlinetta Lusso, I think it was brown.

Yup that is the King of Cool's Ferrari Lusso (ca.1963) and it was indeed metallic brown (I'm not sure if he ordered it that way or had it repainted).

andys120

Mr_Shiftright

What a handsome car.

stevedebi

I know it isn't a drop-top, but it almost looks like that roof could be removed to make a nice convertible.